1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coaxial connector and a communication device including a coaxial connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional mobile communication devices such as portable telephones, a surface mount type coaxial connector performs a switching function for changing a signal path. In the known configuration of such coaxial connectors, resin members and signal terminals are separately manufactured, and thereafter, the signal terminals are incorporated into the resin members, respectively. For incorporation of the signal terminals into the resin members, in some cases, the configuration in which the signal terminals are sandwiched between two resin members is adopted. In the other cases, the configuration in which the signal terminals are inserted into the resin members under pressure is used.
In the case in which the signal terminals are sandwiched between the two resin members, the signal terminals are sometimes separated and released from the resin members, due to vibration and impact caused when the device elements are conveyed during assembling.
Moreover, in the case in which the signal terminals are inserted between the resin members under pressure, the signal terminals will be inserted under pressure, which causes scraping of the resin members, if the positional relationship between the signal terminals and the resin members set in an assembling apparatus is deviated. Resin dusts and burs are produced, which deteriorates the qualities of the resulting products. Accordingly, to prevent this, the number of control items in the assembly process is increased, and much time is spent to adjust the positions of manufacturing facilities.
In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of present invention provide a coaxial connector in which signal terminals can be accurately positioned and fixed with respect to resin members, and a communication device having such a coaxial connector.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a coaxial connector includes a first resin member having a concave portion into which a center contact of a mating coaxial connector is inserted, a second resin member for defining an insulating case with the first resin member, a fixed terminal and a movable terminal mounted inside of the insulating case, and an external terminal mounted on the outside of the insulating case and electrically connected to an outer conductor of the mating coaxial connector, wherein one of the first resin member and the second resin member is provided with ribs that are arranged to position the fixed terminal and the movable terminal, respectively.
In the above-described unique configuration, the ribs arranged to position the fixed terminal and the movable terminal, respectively, are disposed on one of the first and second resin members, so that the fixed terminal and the movable terminal are accurately positioned via the ribs.
Preferably, the ribs are thermally deformed so that the fixed terminal and the movable terminal are fixed to one of the first resin member and the second resin member. More preferably, the ribs thermally deformed with a dome shape are provided on one of the first resin member and the second resin member, and rib receiving portions having a reversed dome shape are provided on the other resin member.
In the above-described configuration, the ribs being thermally deformed fix the fixed terminal and the movable terminal, which are signal terminals, to one of the first and second resin members. Accordingly, there is no possibility that the signal terminals are erroneously released from the resin members, which may be caused in conventional devices by vibration and impact while the device elements are conveyed during assembling.
The communication device according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the coaxial connector having the above-described configuration. Thus, a high reliability can be obtained in the communication device.
Other features, elements, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.